Lakewood Board elects Moshe N. Bender president, Heriberto Rodriguez vice president at reorganization meeting

Moshe N. Bender was elected president of the Lakewood Board of Education during the board's Jan. 8 reorganization meeting, and Heriberto Rodriguez was chosen as vice president, the board secretary announced.

Kevin Campbell, the board secretary and business administrator, administered the Oath of Office to newly elected members and called nominations. The roll-call votes for both officers were recorded in public session. The board also read and approved the Board Member Code of Ethics, citing N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21 et seq., and readopted existing bylaws, policies and regulations until the next reorganization.

The board approved the 2025–26 regular meeting calendar and designated official newspapers for legal notices (The Star-Ledger, The Lakewood Scoop and The Lakewood Shopper). Campbell also outlined routine annual appointments, including the qualified purchasing agent and custodians of records, and the list of authorized depositories for district funds.

The reorganization agenda included the approval of prior meeting minutes and the standard consent motions that advance the district's administrative continuity through the coming year. Several appointments and personnel motions were approved as part of the superintendent's agenda, most conditioned on required background checks.

The meeting concluded after the consent agenda passed and the board adjourned at 9:10 p.m.; Campbell certified the minutes following the meeting.

The board's reorganization sets leadership and administrative delegations for the district as the administration prepares the 2025–26 budget and implements recurring operations.